Builds on 10 years of smart beta leadership and innovation from FTSE Russell and Research Affiliates

Source ETFs to track the index series in Europe

NEWPORT BEACH, California (June 1, 2015) – FTSE Russell, the global index provider, and Research Affiliates LLC, a pioneer in smart beta strategies, today announce the launch of new smart beta indexes: the FTSE RAFI™ Equity Income Index Series. The benchmarks will track high dividend-paying stocks which are screened to target sustainable income. The indexes are weighted according to fundamental measures—as opposed to market capitalisation.

Source, one of Europe’s largest ETF issuers, contributed to the development of the indexes in response to enquiries from investors for a better-structured dividend-focused strategy. Source will be the first ETF provider to license the index series, and a family of ETFs linked to the benchmarks is set to be launched by Source later this year in Europe.

The FTSE RAFI Equity Income Index Series builds on the success of the leading smart beta partnership between FTSE Russell and Research Affiliates, which dates back to 2005. With one of the longest track records in the smart beta industry, FTSE RAFI indexes have been widely acknowledged and adopted as the underlying foundation for a broad variety of investable products in the form of ETFs, managed accounts and mutual funds.

As of 31 March 2015, investable products linked to indexes developed by FTSE Russell and Research Affiliates have approximately USD $75 billion of AUM.

Caroline O'Shaughnessy, Managing Director, Sales and Marketing, FTSE Russell, commented:
“As our partnership with Research Affiliates reaches its tenth year, we are proud that our close collaboration continues to yield innovative benchmarks that respond to investor needs. Source’s licensing of the FTSE RAFI Equity Income Index Series reflects this, as alternative benchmarks provide a critical, low cost investment solution to a wide range of market participants.”

Jason Hsu, Co-Founder and Vice Chairman, Research Affiliates, said:
“For a good number of investors, accessing sustainable, high income remains an unmet need. Yields in fixed income remain historically low, while within the equity space, existing high dividend strategies tend to tilt toward low growth sectors or poor quality stocks. To address this gap in the market, Research Affiliates and FTSE Russell are introducing these new smart beta indexes, which we built in close collaboration with Source. The FTSE RAFI Equity Income Index Series includes high dividends from companies that have been screened for their ability to sustain their dividends.”

Peter Thompson, President, Source, said:
“We are delighted to work with FTSE Russell and Research Affiliates in the creation and licensing of these FTSE RAFI indexes. We have seen the increasing appetite for smart beta ETFs, and particularly for dividend-focused strategies like these, and look forward to working with Research Affiliates and FTSE Russell to meet the investor need for this kind of exposure.”

In common with all FTSE Russell indexes, the index series is managed according to a publicly available set of rules and overseen by an independent committee of market practitioners.

About FTSE RussellFTSE Russell is a global index leader that provides innovative benchmarking, analytics and data solutions for investors worldwide. FTSE Russell calculates thousands of indexes that measure and benchmark markets and asset classes in more than 80 countries, covering 98% of the investable market globally and trading on over 25 exchanges worldwide.

A core set of universal principles guides FTSE Russell index design and management: a transparent rules-based methodology is informed by independent committees of leading market participants. FTSE Russell is focused on applying the highest industry standards in index design and governance. FTSE Russell is also focused on index innovation and customer partnerships as it seeks to enhance the breadth, depth and reach of its offering.

About Research Affiliates, LLC
Research Affiliates, LLC, is a global leader in smart beta and asset allocation. Dedicated to creating value for investors, we seek to have a profound impact on the global investment community through our insights and products. Our firm is built on a strong research base and we deliver solutions in partnership with some of the world’s leading financial institutions. As of December 31, 2014, over $170 billion of assets are managed worldwide using investment strategies developed by us. Research Affiliates is headquartered in Newport Beach, California.

“FTSE®”, “Russell®”, “MTS®”, “FTSE TMX®” and “FTSE Russell” and other service marks and trademarks related to the FTSE or Russell indexes are trade marks of the London Stock Exchange Group companies and are used by FTSE, MTS, FTSE TMX and Russell under licence.
All information is provided for information purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure that all information given in this publication is accurate, but no responsibility or liability can be accepted by the London Stock Exchange Group companies nor its licensors for any errors or for any loss from use of this publication.
Neither the London Stock Exchange Group companies nor any of their licensors make any claim, prediction, warranty or representation whatsoever, expressly or impliedly, either as to the results to be obtained from the use of the FTSE RAFI Equity Index Series or the fitness or suitability of the Index for any particular purpose to which it might be put.
The London Stock Exchange Group companies do not provide investment advice and nothing in this communication should be taken as constituting financial or investment advice. The London Stock Exchange Group companies make no representation regarding the advisability of investing in any asset. A decision to invest in any such asset should not be made in reliance on any information herein. Indexes cannot be invested in directly. Inclusion of an asset in an index is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold that asset. The general information contained in this publication should not be acted upon without obtaining specific legal, tax, and investment advice from a licensed professional.

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